I have written before about Hero Miles, the charity that allows you to donate your miles to help out the Fisher House. Fisher Houses are now located on almost every post and base that has a hospital. The purpose of this house is to house the family members of hospitalized warriors so they can be close to their loved ones in time of need. They also eliminate the need for the Service Members family to do into debt with airline and hotel costs.

It has been a while since I last wrote about them, so when Ashley contacted me about doing a post, I was all too happy to do so. She also gave me the personal details on a couple of cases so you could see the kind of military families that are helped by this worthy organization.

If every traveler donated just 1,000 of their frequent flyer miles, the Fisher House Foundation and it’s Hero Miles program could ensure every Veteran, military member and family member could be with their loved one when they are seeking treatment for injuries or illness. We all have spare miles in our accounts and Hero Miles covers Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier and United. Donate those miles you will probably never use or the spare ones left over after you have redeemed that free ticket. Details on donating can be found here.

Just #1000Miles can help Army Veterans such as Ben Mitchell who survived injuries from three rounds, live to fight another day. When Mitchell was hospitalized, the Fisher House Foundation was able to fly his family to his bedside and provide housing for them during the duration of his recovery. Mitchell credits his survival to his family’s support and his formidable desire to live for his lovely wife and twins.

Ben Mitchel

Retired US Army Colonel, Medical Services

After suffering injuries and losing his right leg during a military training exercise, Ben faced a 1- 1 1/2 year recovery. Thanks to his wife and his love for his twins, he was back on his feet in three months.

At Brooke Army Medical Center BAMC, San Antonio TX he endured more than 12 surgeries.

He spent over 10 months at the Ft. Sam Houston Fisher House where he developed a new “family” with wounded soldiers, families and the Fisher House Staff. This experience was invaluable to his swift recovery and transition.

Ben credits his “survival and inexplicable speedy recovery to three significant forces working seamlessly together: “(1) God’s desire to keep me alive for his purpose (2) A very talented medical staff lead by Dr. Crooce and Dr. Zar Zar and finally (3) my formidable desire and will to live for my lovely wife and twins.”

Another success story is that of CPT Wooten

Army Capt. Canndice Wooten and Army SSgt. Frank Wooten

When Canndice and Frank Wooten’s twins were born they were 2 ½ pounds and were in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for more than four months.

While their children were hospitalized, the Lackland Fisher House was their home and their refuge, allowing them to be just steps from their babies.

Canndice’s first experience with the Fisher House Foundation was after losing her first child in a complicated pregnancy. When she was hospitalized, the Fisher House Foundation flew her mother to her bedside. Her mother said, “I soon learned the Fisher House was a place of healing, a place where I could get a good night’s sleep and then just walk across the street and be there for my daughter. I didn’t even have to cook, food just showed up. Bless God it was one of the best things ever.”

Both Andy and I appreciate your generosity to this worthy charity. Hopefully, none of your families will ever need to use it, but it is nice to know that it is there just in case.